1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a control apparatus for a vehicle, where the vehicle is provided with control means for stopping an engine automatically when a predefined stopping condition, which includes a condition that a traveling speed of the vehicle is equal to or smaller than a prescribed speed larger than 0, is met, and restarting the engine after the automatic stoppage of the engine, when a predefined restarting condition is met, a braking device that is activated to apply braking force to a drive wheel, and a plurality of vehicle-mounted devices involved in operations of the vehicle.
2. Related Art
Known vehicles, as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4376749, perform idle stop control in which an engine is stopped automatically when a predefined stopping condition is met, and then the engine is restarted when a predefined restarting condition is met. The idle stop control is intended to enhance fuel efficiency.
Some of them support idle stop control such that the automatic stopping of the engine is allowed even in a running state of the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as idle-stop control in deceleration), which is intended to further enhance fuel efficiency.
Actually, when the engine is stopped automatically by the idle-stop control in deceleration, there may occur an abnormality in a vehicle-mounted device involved in operations of the vehicle. In the presence of such an abnormality, various inconveniences will occur depending on whether or not the vehicle is running, which may prevent the user from taking suitable measures such as an evasive running of the vehicle. More specifically, when the engine is stopped automatically in running, an abnormality in the vehicle-mounted device may disable the engine restart, which may prevent the user from taking suitable measures.
In consideration of the foregoing, exemplary embodiments of the present invention are directed to providing a control apparatus for a vehicle which supports the idle-stop control in deceleration, enabling a user to take suitable measures even when an abnormality occurs in a vehicle-mounted device involved in operations of the vehicle.